We are a farming family raising crops, vegetables, and livestock. But even if you've never planted a garden or driven a tractor, you and your family can enjoy learning about the rewards and hardships of farm life through The Farming Game Kids. This board game is for ages 3-9 and has three levels of play. The object of the game for the younger players on Level 1 is to have the most produce at the farmers' market. A player rolls the die and receives a card that matches whatever type of produce he lands on. The game ends when a player reaches the end and all cards are counted.

Level 2 players roll the die but do not collect the produce cards. Instead, they consult the "rate chart," which contains various prices for the eggs, watermelon, apples, or corn, and record their profit. As in real life, the market fluctuates, so the players understand how a real farmer runs his business. For the older or more advanced players, the object of Level 3 is to make the most money selling the produce. This is accomplished by moving through the farm, collecting produce cards, consulting the rate chart, and deciding whether or not to sell.

This game is not only entertaining and challenging game, but educational as well. Younger players learn color and pattern recognition and simple counting, while older children learn addition, multiplication, business skills (taking risks, making decisions, etc.), chart reading, and money counting. The colorful produce cards are in English, Spanish, and French. I know your family will enjoy this game, and I highly recommend it. It would be perfect for a holiday gathering (as in my family) or for a break in the school day. As the creators say, "Harvest some fun!"

Product review by Amy Christy, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August 2008